Huib was neither in the barn nor in his house. Sjaak finally found him in the guesthouse, taking pictures of the things he had made. He took pictures from different angles, with different light. Photos of the umbrella stand without and also with umbrellas in it. Pictures of the bookcase from different angles, and also some shots of details.

Sjaak quietly watched him. The website, he understood, Huib was busy for the website he wanted to build.

When Huib caught sight of him, Sjaak walked up to him. "Do you have a moment Huib, I'm troubled by something."

"Tell me about it! I'm done here. In the meantime, shall we walk to my house?"

Sjaak nodded and began to talk outside about Lisa's conversation with the officer in charge of Henk's death, and about her desire to investigate whether she could file a lawsuit against the men who had raped her with her ex's help.

"Why does she want a lawsuit?" asked Huib, as they entered the house through the back door.

"To help other women, women who live or have lived in such a similar situation, to help those women get free and help them heal. I think she has found her purpose, the longing of her soul. But I am afraid Huib, afraid that it is too soon."

Huib smiled and nodded, "That's how we men are Sjaak, I want to protect Margreet, make sure she is careful so nothing nasty happens to her again, and you want that for Lisa. Why? Because they are our dearest. We wish them a great life, their own healing, and we want to help them with that, also to discover their own 'thing', that which really suits them, where their desire really goes. And you know what I think Sjaak, I think that Lisa is still far from fully healed, but she is going like a rocket and has discovered her life purpose. And she only needs one thing, a double thing: on the one hand getting the chance to go for it and on the other hand knowing that you are behind her, there for her when things seem to go wrong. Can you do anything with that?"

Sjaak nodded, clamped his lips stiffly together for a moment because he found it difficult, but then confessed, "You're right Huib, actually I felt it already, but I was just scared... and that's why I wanted to protect her, protect her too much, by holding her back."

"Makes sense anyway," put Huib into perspective. "Man, seeing how much you love Lisa, I'd think it was crazy if you didn't want to protect her. Just protecting her too much and holding her back would be counterproductive for her. I'm glad you had already sensed that, that all I had to do was confirm it."

"Yes, it relieves me Huib, thanks for thinking along. I'll just go back home and hear what Lisa discussed with Ellen Hendriks."

"Sjaak, wait a minute," Margreet interjected. She had heard part of the conversation when the men had come in, but had deliberately not interfered. Now she was pulling him along by his arm into the living room.

"Look here!" She pointed to the new little table and the bowl.

"Wow, cool set! No need to ask how you got that, I see the master's hand! Beautifully made Huib, simple and graceful. And nice those little stones in that bowl, just a nice detail."

"Yes, I just collected those and brushed them clean, just before you came. I want to start putting things from nature on those pebbles. Maybe there are some nice pinecones or acorns."

"Oh yes, there at the edge of the estate, against the edge of the forest, there's still all kinds of things there," said Sjaak, "I went there the other day. I took two beautiful acorns and put them in the ground, hoping that oaks will grow there, on either side on the grass." He pointed in the direction of the guesthouse. "So if you see something growing there, please don't pull it out, it could be the start of something big!"

They laughed, "Sometimes life is simple, isn't it? Acorn in the ground, and a few years later a beautiful oak tree! I enjoy that!" said Margreet happily.

"So do I, but now I'm going to get to Lisa quickly, I wouldn't be surprised if the conversation with Ellen already evoked enough to trigger her."

"Go on Sjaak, she's stronger than she appears to be, but she still has plenty to get through, she could use your support with that!" encouraged Margreet.

.

Sjaak walked with great strides across the grass to the other side of the compound. He saw Lisa standing out there, looking towards the forest. She smiled when she caught sight of him and pointed to the forest.

"I think I have a third project in mind, Sjaak!"

As she said it she wrapped her arms around him.

"A third? Did we already have a second one then?" he asked in surprise.

"Oh yes, I hadn't told you that yet. I was thinking of the guesthouse as the second project, refurbish where needed, and ask the others if they have any desires for the guesthouse, no idea what, but I'm sure there will be something where we could help financially...

And the third project... I just talked to Ellen, she's going to find out for me if I have any chance of getting those guys convicted. And after the conversation, it occurred to me, that somewhere there, at the back of the estate, I'd like to have some kind of shelter or something built, for women like me, so they can process their mess in peace and safety, figure out how they want to move on, and try to get their lives back on track."

"Lisa, Lisa, awesome lady, it's time for you to put together a project plan, a roadmap. I have no idea if such a house is possible here, but we will discuss that with the others, including Simon."

"Good idea, that roadmap. And also consulting with the others. For now, I'm going to brainstorm on the computer first about the lawsuit and the various projects, and make a roadmap from there. And this afternoon or tomorrow I want to make a start with the material on Henk's USB sticks, see if I have any photos or film recordings that clearly show these men. Hmm, I think I'll save those USB sticks for tomorrow, for today it seems a bit enough, these phone calls and brainstorming..."

"Wise of you, just try to get a good sense of what's going on inside you," Sjaak encouraged her.

"Yes, I will, and thank you for being there for me, your support is priceless!"

"That's too bad, so I won't get a salary?"

"No, you get me, you'll have to make do with that for now," Lisa chuckled.

"Hmm then we have come full circle," thought Sjaak, "because you are priceless to me!"

Laughing they gave each other a kiss, after which Sjaak walked into the garden to do some work here and there, and Lisa went inside to work behind the computer. She felt she had to do that. It was all a lot, a lawsuit against at least five men. And on top of that three projects... It threatened to become unmanageable!

To chapter 144. So many new plans

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